Featured: Top 10 Best Voice Assistant / Siri Like Apps for Android

August 8, 2012 - Written By Tom Dawson

As much as I’m sure us Android fans hate to admit, Siri is pretty cool. Whilst it hardly works a lot of the time and is marketed a little like a gimmick, it still has some pretty good uses. Of course, the problem here is, if you don’t like Siri and would like to try something else, Apple makes that crazy hard for you on the iPhone. Here in the land of the Droid however, we don’t have that problem and so, we’re able to choose from any number of great apps that developers have put together for us .Now Google Now Users on Jelly Bean make ask why as the feature is already pretty good, well these apps all offer different type of features that you may fancy more. Let Android Headlines once again go through the good, the bad and the ugly with another Top Ten!

10. Angie Beta
Even though this app is currently in beta there’s no shortage of what the app can do. You can ask it a number of different things, including the obvious such as what’s the weather and searching the web. Beyond this the app will also find you near by shops and restaurants as well. The devs are looking for feedback about the app so, why not get stuck in and see what’s what.Play Store Link

9. Jeannie (Like Siri)
Pannous, the devs behind this app have pinned Jeannie as “like Siri” whether or not that sells to you depends on whether or not depends on how much you dislike Apple. The app itself, is a little like Voice Actions on steroids, with a number of Siri like commands you can throw at it to deliver you results similar to that of S Voice and Google Now. Whilst the app’s graphics aren’t fantastic it seems to get the job done for the low, low price of free.

8. Robin
Another app that’s still in Beta, Robin delivers assistant functionality with some serious style. It looks slick, it acts slick and there’s the usual gamut of commands it’ll respond to and then some. The unique selling point of Robin is that to activate the app you need only perform a gesture that involves the phone’s proximity sensor which is going to be great in the car. The support team seems to be very active as well, which is always important.

Whilst a little on the pricey side, Omega certainly looks like it’s been polished to no end. This assistant just might appeal to you Sci-Fi fans out there – like this one, right here – as there’s some clear HAL type stylings here. Omega will respond to the usual array of commands as well as some more adventurous types that might be just what you’re looking for. Their website has all the commands you could need as well. A great app, if a little pricey.

6. Assistant from Speaktoit
If you were looking for something a little different from the normal Siri-alikes out there, then Speaktoit have your back with their ‘Assistant’. Instead of the usual speak and have the answer displayed in front of you, Assistant takes an original and obvious spin on the category. By presenting you with an actual assistant – which takes a number of different forms – the app will ask you to speak or type naturally to the assistant and the assistant will understand what you want to do. You don’t have to remember specific commands, just talk to it and the app will strip out what you want to get done.

5. Skyvi (Siri For Android)
Sometimes the best idea is to just stick as close to the original as possible, this is what BlueTornado have done with their app, even pinning it as the Siri for Android. Skyvi certainly holds its own when it comes to the voice assistant game. With an extensive list of things Skyvi can execute ob your command, as well as add-ons this makes for a compelling choice of assistant. Currently, the app is again, in beta but it’s also FREE for a limited time so, I suggest you hurry!

4. Everfriends – Virtual Assistants
The truly unique addition to this list has to be Everfriends, a virtual assistant that literally puts an assistant in your hand. Whilst that seems a little strange, the app has a lot to offer around the concept, there’s a number of characters, mostly women and a strange Gizmo lookalike chracter. Everfriends focusses on delivering the usual stuff you1ve come to expect in a refreshing manner and it certainly delivers on that front, making weather forecasts and web searches even more fun. It’s free however, to get the assistants to speak aloud it asks for some cash so, keep that in mind.

3. Vlingo Virtual Assistant
A lot of you out there will have heard of Vlingo and if you didn’t before Android 2.2 hit with Voice Actions you did because, after that, they went free on the play store and have been getting better and better with each release. What sets Vlingo apart from the rest is polish, a lot of these apps have some real power and a large feature set but, they’re either stuck in beta or a little buggy. Thanks to the developers experience in the market the app is solid and reliable.

2. AIVC (Alice)
Minimal and powerful are the two words that come to mind when describing this app. The team behind the app have gone to lengths to make sure that AIVC can easily become your best friend in your phone. They’re are a massive amount of commands that Alice will respond to and they’re mostly questions which is nice as, let’s face it, you wanna know something, you ask a question. AIVC could well become the most used app on your phone.Play Store Link

1. EVA and EVAN Virtual Assistants
These two are amongst the most popular voice assistant apps and whilst their full versions are pretty pricey for an app, you won’t regret paying it as these pair will see you through a lot of of your digital day-to-day life and do so in style. They’re a couple of versions, EVA and EVAN, so take your pick depending on whether you’d like a lady or a man assistant. These assistants come with specialties as well, such as home automation with Insteon, making these guys fantastic if you truly live in the future! The below takes you to the developer’s page in the Play Store so you can choose which you’d like to try.